The Original Whale Riders

What can the whale lices tell us?

"In order to know more about the infinitesimally large, let’s study the infinitesimally small”. Laurent Soulier is a parasitologist specialized in marine mammals. He thinks he can save entire populations of whales by studying their lice! His mission is now to collect these precious parasites. A very tricky and dangerous challenge awaits Laurent, as it is no small thing to swim with such a massive animal. Even though whales are not aggressive, their unpredictable behaviour can make them extremely dangerous. Even if he finally approaches these sea giants, Laurent will still have to figure out a way to collect 1cm parasites from their skin. With the help of a local fisherman and an underwater field expert, Laurent must achieve something that no one has tried before!

From his laboratory to the waters of New Caledonia and Polynesia, Laurent takes us to the other side of the world for an exceptional adventure, along with a discovery that could very well save the last humpback whales on the planet.

Pariscience 2008
: Wednesday 08th October 2008 from 10h15 to 11h45